China exploits Shanghai media forum in Urumqi to justify genocide

China organized the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media Cooperation Forum in Urumqi, during which Chinese officials attempted to justify the genocide in East Turkistan.

According to a report by the alleged Xinjiang Radio and Television Station, the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media Cooperation Forum was held in Urumqi on May 23, in collaboration with the People's Daily and the so-called "Uyghur Autonomous Region." Chinese officials such as Ma Xingrui and Erkin Tuniyaz opened a meeting to welcome representatives the day before.

Ma Xingrui used the occasion to attempt to justify China's ethnic genocide against the Turkic peoples, particularly the Uyghurs, in East Turkistan. He repeatedly emphasized that China continues to implement its so-called "counter-terrorism and stability-maintaining" policies in East Turkistan, that society is thriving and developing peacefully, and that the United States and some Western powers are fabricating false allegations such as "forced labor" and "ethnic genocide" to try to hinder China's development.

The report indicates that this year is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 's "Year of China," and more than 300 representatives from 26 countries participated in the media cooperation forum for member states.

The so-called "Xinjiang Daily" published a special article on why this forum was held in East Turkistan. The article claimed that East Turkistan enjoys geographical advantages and borders with several SCO member states. It claimed that holding the forum in East Turkistan could better enhance the bridging and mediating role of SCO cooperation, and that this forum would promote comprehensive cooperation between the media outlets of different countries.

The report also provided some numerical data, indicating that the total value of import and export trade in East Turkistan, where the genocide is currently ongoing, exceeded 400 billion yuan, with more than 75% of this trade being with SCO member states.

In recent years, China has organized numerous international conferences in East Turkistan, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Parties Forum, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Commercial Law Forum, the China-Asia-Europe Expo, the World Media Leaders' Meeting, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Parties Forum, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Commercial Law Forum, among others. One of China's objectives in organizing these conferences in East Turkistan is to justify the dire situation in East Turkistan.